The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1887-04-02

mics, kings of Egypt, 800 years b. c,
were the first to undertake the exact
and systematic observation Of the
heavenly bodies. They enumerated
| As consultations, prominent among
these was Andromeda mythical
princess daughter of an Ethiopian
king. Her mother boosted that the
beauty of her daughter was greater
than that of Of the Nereids, the 30
daughters of Nereus. They were Of
Tended and appealed to Neptune, the
god of the sea; he thereupon visited
the country with flood and sent a
dreadful sea monster to destroy men
and cattle. The oracle of Ammon
promised deliverance if Andromeda
was given up to the monster Her
father compelled by his subjects to
yield, took her to the shore and chain
ed her to a rock. Here she was found
by Perseus, who promised to save her
if she would become his wife. Her
father agreed to this, and Persus after
killing the monster married Androm-
eda. She had been engaged before
this to Phineus, who came with
strong body of soldiers and burst in
upon the marriage feast. The famous
fight of Phineus and Persus followed;
but Phineus and all his soldiers were
killed and Perseus triumphantly CARR
ed off his bride. After her death she was
placed among the stars.
Orion was Greek hero handsome
giant and hunter. He came to Chios
and fell in love with Merope the daugh-
ter of Oenopion. He exerted himself
to please be- in every way, among
other things he cleared the island of
wild beasts. Her father however con-
stantly put off the marriage, which
reused his anger On one occasion
when he was intoxicated his treatment
of her, so exasperated her father that
with the aid of some one, he put out
Orion's eyes.
He recovered his sight by going
toward the east and exposing his eye
balls to the rising sun. He afterward
lived as hunter with Diana.
Several different accounts of his
death are given, one, that he was 10y
ed by Diana and that her brother
Apollo Indignant at bis sisters love for
him, told her that she was unable to
hit with her arrow, a distant point
which he showed her in the sea. She
took aim and the arrow hit its mark,
but the mark was the head Of Orion,
who was swimming in the sea. An
other was, that having boasted that he
would clear the earth of wild beasts.
the earth sent forth a scorpion which
killed him.
He now appears in the sky as a
giant, with a girdle sword, lions skin
and club, the brightest constellation
in the northern heayens.
The Peiades are a group fstars on
the shoulder of the constellation
Taurus; they are seven in number,
only six of them visible. They were
companions of Diana and they to-
gether with their mother were pursued
by the hunter Orion. Their prayer
to be rescued from him was heard bv
the gods and they were Immediately
changed into doyes.
The rising and setting of the Pleia-
DIES was closely observed by the anci-
clients, as measures of time" could
only be obtained by the movements
of the heavenly bodies. Historical
events have been alluded to as having
occurred in the great year of the
Pleiades," which is supposed to be
217O years B. c. Job said, 'Canst
thou bind the sweet influences Of Pile
AIDES or loose the bands of Orion
The great bear is one of the most
familiar consultations. Almost every
one learns to find the great dipper;
four stars form the body of the dipper
two of these are called pointers" be,
cause they are in range with the North
Star. Many touching stories haye
been told of fugitive Slaves escaping
for life, their only guide being the
Pole star. c. l.. S. c..